A Friendly Face
by christmaslightbulbseggsouffle
Summary: After losing the Pond's and River disappearing to make "Melody Malone" the Doctor winds up on a bench in a quiet little park. Although he is broken and feels unable to go on a friendly face and a reminder from his little Amelia may be just enough to get him going again.


"Afterword, by Amelia Williams. Hello, old friend. And here we are, you and me, on the last page. By the time you read these words, Rory and I will be long gone. So know that we lived well, and were very happy. And above all else, know that we will love you, always. Sometimes I do worry about you, though. I think once we're gone, you won't be coming back here for a while, and you might be alone, which you should never be. Don't be alone, Doctor. And do one more thing for me. There's a little girl waiting in a garden. She's going to wait a long while, so she's going to need a lot of hope. Go to her. Tell her a story. Tell her that if she's patient, the days are coming that she'll never forget. Tell her she'll go to sea and fight pirates. She'll fall in love with a man who'll wait two-thousand years to keep her safe. Tell her she'll give hope to the greatest painter who ever lived and save a whale in outer space. Tell her this is the story of Amelia Pond. And this is how it ends." He holds the paper with shaky hand's as he tries to read the print. He is happy for a brief moment thinking how much he is loved by his friends but as soon as his happiness is there it is gone. A fresh bout of tears well up in his eyes and he squeezes them together tightly and places his hands over his face to try and hide the pain. _How could I let this happen! _He scolds himself. _This always happens! Everything I touch turns to dust. _A small sob escapes him and he covers his mouth. _Everything I love dies!_ He clutches his head as another sob escapes and he pushes it down onto his knees till it hurts.

"How could I let this happen." He whispers.

"Are you ok?" a quiet voice says. The Doctor uncovers his eyes looking up. With blurry eyes he sees a girl, not a woman but a girl, about the age of 17, knelling in front of him in the quiet park. She has white skin with small freckles here and there with short brown hair that shines dark red in the sunlight, a pretty face with lips to match yet that isn't what strikes him about her. It's the eyes, the bright green circles show curiosity, friendliness but most of all caring. "You look like you've been crying." She says with a slight frown gracing here lips, a frown that seemed out of place. He nods like a child that has been weeping over a lost toy and the stranger places a gentle hand on his shoulder. She shakes her head looking in to his red-rimmed eyes. "Why?" his brow furrows into pain as he relives the moment.

_Amy, please, just come back into the TARDIS. Come along, Pond, please._

_Raggedy man… goodbye._

He shakes his head as the tears return and he bites his lips trying to stem the sobs. The stranger stands and he guesses she is leaving, he wouldn't blame her. But he feels the bench dip slightly and a body next to him. Long caring arms wrap around him like a mother to a child and he welcomes them. He buries his face in the hug as he sobs openly. He hears her whispering soothing words but none of it makes sense. All he knows is there are two holes in his hearts that need to be filled but never will be.

"I know what it's like to lose someone." The words strike his skull, he hadn't said it had he? "To feel so helpless when someone you love is gone and you feel as if you couldn't possibly go on." She tells him rubbing small circles on his back. "I know what someone looks like when they lose someone, and how they feel." She pauses breathing deeply. "Like there are holes in your heart that need to be filled up but you know will never be. The place where that person or people used to fill." She swallowed. "But then you move on knowing they loved you and they want you to continue without them." She gently lifts the broken man's head. "And they loved you enough to let you go." She smiles as a solitary tear rolls down her cheek. He brings up a shaky hand wiping it off her cheek.

"Don't cry. Please don't cry." He whispers, his voice full of tear. She sniffs and shakes her head.

"I was crying because I'm happy." She smiled again her gentle smile reaching up high on her face. She took the sleeve of her shirt, wiping the stray tears from his now puffy face. "I'm happy because of their love." The Doctor's frown sets into a small smile _yes_ he thinks _they did love me_. "Whoever you lost-"

"Loved me enough to let me go." He finished nodding. She nodded with that smile that never left her face. He stared at her amazed how this beautiful, brilliant human cared, a complete stranger that had cared for him after everyone else was gone. She looked down at the ground where the paper the man was clutching minutes before now lay. The Doctor looked at her as she read the message from the book and then the understanding in her eyes when she finished. "You got a goodbye, and a good one at that." She told him. "And it sounds like you have a favor to fulfill." She smiled.

"Amelia's garden." The Doctor breathed. He stood up grabbing the girl's long fingers and intertwining them with his. _Amelia was right, _he smile, _maybe I don't have to be alone. _

Thank you so much for reading. I cried and I smiled while writing this, you can rate and review on your way out but it isn't needed. I wrote this short one to help me and hopefully some of you with the extreme amount of feels that came with TATM. I wanted the character to remain nameless because I think it brings a quality to the story I might turn this character into an OC companion but not sure yet depending on the messages I receive from you guys. I will be writing more fics soon as I haven't written some sense December on my other account. If you want to talk me me, criticize me or, get to know me I am at .com ;) have a great day!

-Ariel


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